Malawi

Capital: Lilongwe

Population: 19 million

Area: 118,484 km²

Village Book Libraries

Kadzakalowa

Biwi*

Dzaleka Refugee Camp

* mentor programs

Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa and is bordered by Zambia, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Malawi is also known as the “Warm Heart of Africa!”. Malawi is home to the third largest lake in all of Africa and the ninth largest lake in the whole world! It is approximately 580 kilometers or 360 miles long! It is home to hundreds of different species of fish including the Cichlid as well as many other animals!

Nsima is the staple food in Malawi. It’s a thick porridge made out of maize flour and water. Typically, nsima is eaten with vegetables and a protein—like fish, beans, or meat. It can be torn apart by hand and used to dip into side dishes or relishes.

The main languages spoken in Malawi are English and Chichewa. Although English is the official language of Malawi, as you venture out into smaller villages, they tend to speak primarily Chichewa.

Malawi is also home to a large variety of wildlife. Safaris are common and are very enjoyable for tourists looking to see the beauty of The Heart of Africa!

Christopher, our Africa Director, traveled to the Refugee Camp on personal visits a few years ago. After observing the living conditions and the great work already being done in the camp, he was asked about bringing a library to their community! This library will serve over 45,000 families and will be the first library with books and computers!

The VBB community not only provides libraries and literacy education resources for children across the globe—we are dedicated to these students’ education. We have online volunteer mentors (that you can be a part of!) that connect with students at these libraries to give consistent support and help them progress in their education.

If you are looking for a longer experience we also are looking for a few Village Interns, who will live in the village for multiple weeks. For College students, you may qualify for aid and school credit, click on Intern below to learn more

Scroll down to learn how you can travel with us to one of the locations in Malawi in 2022!

Join Us in Malawi

We need volunteers who are excited to serve to help us make this library a reality for the many children in this village. Are you ready?

Location: Dzaleka refugee Camp

Date: August 1 – August 11, 2022

Cost: $3700 USD (All Inclusive)

Arrival Airport: Lilongwe International Airport, Malawi

* This is a guided trip with a professional coordinator and team of volunteers

Location: Ganya

Date: TBD (Summer)

Cost: $3700 USD (All Inclusive)

Arrival Airport: Lilongwe International Airport, Malawi

* This is a guided trip with a professional coordinator and team of volunteers

Need Financial Aid?

Expedition Scholarships Available

What We Do

Home Visits

Our goal is to visit every home in the village, to promote literacy by inspiring parents to read to their children & vice versa. You will be able to share your love of reading and how it has changed your life. This gives you the chance to know the people intimately and learn from these amazing people. Every day after lunch, we will separate into teams of 3-4, usually accompanied by a posse of children leading you to their homes. This will be one of the most rewarding experiences of the trip!

Classes

We teach classes to the children that will promote literacy, self-sufficiency, and long term well being. We believe that a single idea can change a life and for that reason you will have the opportunity to help teach a series of classes that help the kids visualize a brighter future and how to get there. Every willing volunteer will be assigned to a teaching team. Don’t worry, we show you the ropes before teaching.

Success Skills

How to set goals and plan

Imagination

How to use your imagination to create and dream

Exploration

How to use the library to explore and learn

Library Creation

We will be creating a library, which will involve painting building desks and shelves, and construction

Training

We will be training the school staff and community volunteers on how to create a reading culture within the community

Other Projects

Projects determined by the talents and skills of the volunteers that meet different needs of the community

Testimonials

“Seriously the most immersive and unique experience of my life. We lived among the community for the whole time we were there and got to experience the beautiful life they live. Since we were teaching classes in the school the kids and their families knew us and took us around the village every day. One day they took us to their local dairy farm and the textile factory. It was so neat. We went to a few local temples as well. It was amazing. Did I mention Nepal is just GORGEOUS.”

“If you want to plant a seed of good in this world and at the same time have fun, meet new friends in a great place and fulfil your purpose in life this is the place for you. So sign now and enjoy life!! You are not going to regret it!!!!!”

“If you are looking to make a global impact and create a culture of literacy in a remote part of the world, this trip is for you! You will be immersed in the culture, surrounded by humble and generous hosts and you will leave having learned much more than you hoped to instill. It was a wonderful organization to partner with and they truly do have a servant mindset as they seek to bring a reading culture through building libraries.”

“This was one of the best experiences I have ever been a part of! We really made a difference in these children's lives and it was incredible to be a part of that! I made so many connections with people I never would have known without this program!”

Malawi

Join Us in Malawi

Need Financial Aid?

What We Do

Testimonials

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